Table 2.
Postoperative recovery parameters and complications
| Parameters and complications | TEA group (n = 49) | PCA group (n = 49) | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time until flatus (hours) | 16 ± 0.7 | 26 ± 0.7 | < 0.001 |
| Time until stools (hours) | 62 ± 1.4 | 65 ± 1.2 | 0.145 |
| Time until return to full diet (hours) | 24 ± 0.4 | 24 ± 0.5 | 0.078 |
| Nausea, n (%) | 5 (13) | 16 (40) | 0.006 |
| Vomiting, n (%) | 0 | 8 (20) | 0.003 |
| Postoperative complications, n (%) | |||
| Wound abscess | 0 | 0 | NR |
| Atelectasis | 0 | 0 | NR |
| Subcutaneous emphysema, n (%) | 3 (8) | 4 (10) | 0.692 |
| Prolonged air leak, n (%) | 6 (15) | 5 (13) | 0.745 |
| Confusion, n (%) | 5 (13) | 18 (45) | 0.002 |
| Pneumonia | 0 | 0 | NR |
| Hospital stay | 5.0 (3.5–7.0) | 5.0 (4.0–8.5) | 0.94 |
Values are shown as mean ± standard error or median (interquartile range), as appropriate. NR, not related;
PCA, patient‐controlled analgesia; TEA, thoracic epidural analgesia.